Cask-pitching apparatus.



No. 664,009. Patented Dec. I8, I900. J. F. THEU REB & M. A. BECK. A

CASK PITCHING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Oct. 21, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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Patented l]ec.;l8,.l900.v

J. F. THEUREB & M. A. BECK.

cAsK PIITOl-IING APPARATUS.

(Applies-flan filed. Oct. 21, 1897.)

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(No Model.)

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No. 664,009. Patented Dec. l8, I900. .1. F. THEUBER & m. A. BECK.

CASK PIT'OHING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Oct. 21, 1897.) (No Model.) 5 $heets$hee 3.

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0 0 H .mm P e D d e n e t a GASK PITCH| NG APPARATUS.

(Application filed Oct. 21, 1897.)

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(No Modal.)

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' V Patented Dec. l8, I900. J. F; THEUREB & M. A. BECK.

CA SK PITGHING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Oct. 21, 1897.} (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

JACOB F. THEURER AND MATTHIAS A. BECK, OF MILWAUKEE, WVISOONSIN, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO PAWLING 8t HARNISOHFEGER,

OF SAME PLACE.

CASK-PITGHING APPARATUS;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,009, dated December 1 1 Application filed October 21, 1897; Serial No. 655,898. \No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, JACOB F. THEURER and MATTHIAsA. BECK, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Cask-Pitching Apparatus;

and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to whichit pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to apparatus for washing, pitching, enameling, or coating the interior of casks, barrels, or kegs. Its objects are to keep the pitch at the desired consistency or viscosity, to prevent rapid evaporation of the oil contained therein, to automatically supply the loss of oil that takes place in the operation of the apparatus, to prevent escape of pitch from the nozzles eX- cept when the casks, barrels, or kegs are placed thereon, and generally to simplify and improve the construction and operation of apparatus of this class.

It consists of certain novel features in the construction and arrangementof component parts of the apparatus, as hereinafter particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings like letters designate the same parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section on the line 1 1, Fig. 4, of apparatus embodying our improvements. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2 2, Fig. I. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3 3, Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a plan view. Fig. 5 is a vertical diagonal section on the line 5 5, Fig. 4:. Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views of the top or cover of the pitchtank or kettle, taken on the lines 1 1 and 7 7, Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the swivel connections between the rotary pitch-pipes and liftingbars for raising and lowering the nozzles into and out of operative position; and Fig. 9 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modification of the devices for supplying oil A designates a kettle or tank of iron or other suitable material for containing heated pitch. It may be conveniently supported upon a furnace B of masonry, advisably of fire-brick or like refractory material capable of withstanding high temperatures. The fur nace comprises a fire box or chamber 0, ex tending from the front to about the middle of the tank A, a grate D, an ash-pit E, and the usual doors opening through the front wall of the furnace into the fire-box and ash-pit, respectively, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The. form and construction of the tank, as well as of the furnace, may he variously modified without material effect upon the operation of the apparatus.

The furnace is preferably provided with a bridge-wall F, which causes the burning gases and products of combustion to pass in close contact with the bottom of the tank, so that the heat of the fire is elfectively applied and well utilized before passing out of the furnace through the exit-flue 0 into the chimney d. (Shown in Fig. 1.) The tank A is provided with a removable cover Gr, to which are attached all the working parts of the apparatus, so that repairs may be conveniently made without extinguishing the fire or emptying the tank. T0 afford access to the interior of the tank without removing the cover, the latter is formed with an opening, which is furnished with a lid H, as shown in Figs. 1 and L.

I is a centrifugal pump suspended from the cover G, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 5, by hollow brackets or tubular arms J J, which are formed at their upper outer ends with vertical sleevesj and are bolted to depending studs or projectionsg on the under side of the cover. In each of the sleevesj is fitted and held by a set-screw, as shown in Fig. 5, a bushingj,

having an interior annular recess which communicates through an opening in one side with the passage in the associated arm J. In these bushings j are fitted rotary pipes K K, which terminate at their upper ends in detachable nozzles 76 70. Each of these pipes is formed near its lower end with a series of slits or openings 7t, which when the pipe is elevated, as shown at the left in Figs. 2, 3, and 5, come within the annular recess in bushing j, and thus communicate with the pump I throughtheassociatedtubulararmJ. When the pipe K is lowered, as shown at the right in the same figures, it closes communication between it and the pump; but the openings being exposed below the bushing j the contents of said pipe and its nozzle may freely fiow back into the tank to the level of the pitch contained in the latter. This prevents the pitch or other enameling material from cooling and solidifying in the nozzle. Above the sleevesj the arms or brackets J are formed with concentric cylindrical cups or extensions 7' which are flanged at their upper edges and bolted to the studs g on the top or cover G. The walls of these cup-shaped extensions are perforated at the bottom to allow .pitch to drain therefrom into the tank. The pump I consists, as shown in Fig. 5, of a casing containing an inner circular chamber z, which has acentralintake-openingin the underside, and an annular discharge-chamber 1', surrounding the chamber t' and communicating on the inner side therewith, and of a wheel 1, inclosed in chamber i and formed or provided with radial vanes or blades, by means of which the pitch is drawn from the tank through the opening in the under side of said easing into the chamber 2' and forced therefrom by centrifugal action into the annular chamber t" and thence through the hollow arms J into the pipes K, when the latter are put in communication with the passages in said arms. The annular opening between the chamber 2' and the chamber 2" is provided with radiating wings 1?, which check the vortical movement of the pitch as it is thrown outwardly by the vanes of the wheel 1' into the discharge-chamber t". By thus constructing the pump and providing it with the annular discharge-chamber the pitch is evenly distributed to and through the several arms J when all or a part only of the nozzles k are in operation and communicate with the pump. When communication between one or a part of the nozzles and the pump is closed, the work will still be evenly distributed in the pump, the pitch being forced by the vanes of the wheel I in greater or less volume, as required, into the annularchamberz" around the entire periphery of the chamber 1'. This will be found of special advantage when the entire force of the pump is needed to supply pitch to one or a part of the nozzles for pitching or enameling large casks or barrels, and under all conditions, whether supplying pitch to one or more nozzles, the pump will operate easily and efiectively.

For each pipe K a lifting-bar or handle L is provided, which passes through an opening in the top or cover G and is connected at its inner end with the lower end of said pipe by a swivel-joint, which may be conveniently made as shown in Fig. 8. The lower end of the pipe is closed by a screw-plug 70 which is formed with a depending stem 70 Upon this stem is loosely fitted a washer Z, formed on the under side with a central cross-rib Z, fitting in a cross-groove in the perforated end of the bar L, which is rounded on its under side and held upon said stem below the washer Z by a nut 7c. By means of this connection the pipe K and its nozzle 70 are prevented from binding in their bearings, the stem 7c turning freely in the bar L and said bar rocking under the rib l in raising and lowering said pipe.

Each bar L is formed in the under or outer side with a notch adapted when the associated nozzle 70 is in its lower position and cut off from communication with the pump to be engaged by the outer edge of the opening in a horizontallysliding latch-plate 1 through which said bar passes, as shown at the right in Fig. 2. In the upper or inner side of each bar L is also formed another notch in position to be engaged by the opposite edge of the opening in the latch-plate when the latter is thrust out-ward and the nozzle is raised into operative position, as shown at the left in Fig. 2. Each latch-plate Z is pivotally connected at its inner end with the depending arm of a lever Z fulcrumed to the cover G and having an outwardly-extending weighted arm and an inwardly-extending forked arm, the

branches of which are bent upwardly on opposite sides of the adjacent nozzle. A cask, barrel, or keg being placed over a nozzle, as shown at the left in Fig. 2, engages with the forked arm of the lever l thrusting the latchplate outwardly into position to engage with the notch in the inner side of the bar L when the latter is raised, carrying the nozzle it into operative position and establishing communication between it and the pump. When the cask is removed from the machine, the weight on the lever Z falls, drawing the latchplate inwardly out of engagement with the notch in the inner side of the bar L into position to engage with the notch in its outer side. Thus the nozzle is automatically released by the removal of the cask and allowed to descend and cut off communication between it and the pump in case the operator inadvertently fails to lower the nozzle before removing the cask therefrom. When the nozzle is in or reaches its lower position and the cask is removed, the latch-plate Z is caused by the weighted lever Z to slip into engagement with the notch in the outer side of the bar L, and thus prevent the nozzle from being again raised without lifting the weighted arm of said lever until another cask is placed over the nozzle. By this means the operators are prevented from being burned by pitch thrown from the nozzles when they are not inclosed in a cask, barrel, or keg.

To distribute the pitch or liquid ejected from the nozzles 7a to all parts of the interior of the casks or kegs, it is desirable to rotate either the nozzles or the cask-supports. For various reasons it is desirable to rotate the nozzles, and for this purpose the shaft m of the pump is provided with a worm M, which engages with worm-gears n on a number of tangentially-arranged shafts N. Each shaft N is provided at its outer end with a worm n, arranged to engage with a worm-gear O on one of the pipes K when its nozzle 76 is raised into operative position. Lowering the nozzle disconnects the gear 0 from' the worm n, thus allowing the nozzle to come to rest, and at the same time cuts 01f its communication with the pump and establishes communication with the tank. Lifting the nozzlecarries the gear 0 into engagement with the worm 91', cuts off communication with the tank, and establishes communication with the pump. The nozzles are preferably formed or provided in their upper ends with thin slits, through which the pitch or other liquid issues in thin broad or fan-shaped jets adapted to reach the remotest parts of the interior of the casks or barrels and t0 evenly supply the pitch or liquid thereto.

To prevent shock and injury by the unchecked descent of the nozzles and their connections, the gears O are formed or provided on their under sides with depending rims, which fit over the upper ends of the bushings j and form therewith fluid-cushions or dashpots, which gradually arrest the downwardmovement of the pipes K and their adjuncts. When the nozzles are lowered, the gears O descend into the cup-shaped extensions 9' at the upper ends of arms J, as shown at the right in Fig. 5.

To support the casks, barrels, or kegs in proper position with relation to the nozzles, the cover or top G is provided with removable holders or beds P, each of which has an upwardly-projecting rim surrounding a nozzle and curved at its upper edge to fit and afford a seat for the side of a cask or keg. These holders or beds are of sufficient length to support the cask or keg from one end to a point near its mid-length between the bunghole in thebilge and the opposite end, as indicated in Fig. 1. A closure is thus formed around the bung-hole, through which the nozzle projects into the cask or keg and the plug or bung opening near its end, so that the fumes or vapors escaping from said bungholes will not pass into the room in which the apparatus is located. Interchangeable holders or beds of different sizes are provided, so that the machine may be readily fitted to operate on casks, barrels, or kegs of different sizes.

Below the holders, which are open at the bottom within their upwardly-projecting rims. the cover G is recessed to catch the pitch or enameling material flowing from the casks and to conduct it back into the tank A and is provided with screens Q for catching and l retaining coarse impurities which may be carried with the pitch from the casks or kegs.

In the provision heretofore made in machines of this kind for drawing ofi the offensive fumes and vapors from the casks or barrels while they are being pitched or enameled the volatile oils given off by the heated pitch have been rapidly exhausted and considerable inconvenience and difficulty have been experienced in keeping the pitch at the desired consistency or degree of viscosity, for the reason that the draft connection for drawing the fumes from the casks or barrels opened directly into the pitch-tank and operated with too much force upon the pitch in the tank. To avoid this difficulty and to maintain the pitch at the desired consistency while conducting off the offensive fumes and vapors from the casks or barrels, we now form or provide the top or cover G of the pitch kettle or tank with recesses or chambers R R below the screens Q Q, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7. The bottoms of these chambers incline from all points downwardly toward small drain-openings r 7" into the tank. These chambers communicate with branch fines S S, which lead into a common main flue S, formed or provided in cover G. The fine S communicates through a removable inverted- U -shaped pipe connection S with a box S at the front of the furnace, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. A pipe S leads downwardly from this box into the furnace above the grate, as shown in Fig. 1. A draft being produced by any suitable means through the fines S S and pipes S and S, the offensive fumes and vapors are drawn from the casks or kegs on the holders P and discharged into the furnace, where they are burned with a relatively small amount of oil-vapor drawn through the drain-openings r from the tank.

To produce the draft through the flues in the cover of the tank and their connections with the furnace, a steam-pipe T,leading from a boiler or steam-generator, projects downwardly into the pipe S at one end, which constitutes or is provided with a nozzle.

As the pitch and some other substances used for coating or enameliug casks and barrels and the oil-vapors given off by the pitch are quite inflammable and liable to take fire, some provision for extinguishing the fire whenever it occurs is desirable. For this purpose a pipe T, leading from a reservoir containing carbonic-acid gas or some other fluid fire-extinguishing medium, is connected with the steam-pipe T and has a brancht leading and opening into the tank. These pipes are provided with suitable valves for admitting either steam or gas, or both, into either the tank A or pipe S By removing the U-shaped pipe connection S when the apparatus is not in operation or the draft in pipe S is stopped the communication of fire from the furnace through the flues in the cover G to the interior of the tank is prevented. The removal of this pipe connection also facilitates putting out the fire in case the oil-vapors or inflammable gases become ignited in the draft-flues and burn back into the tank.

To supply the small and practically constant loss of oil produced by evaporation and the draft through the openings 7' and to keep the pitch at the desired density or viscosity, a sight-feed oil cup or reservoir U, supported in an elevated position, is connected with the tank A by a pipe to, passing downwardly through the cover G and terminating, preferably, near the pump I. The How of oil into the tank is regulated and controlled by a valve u. The oil being thus supplied to the pitch constantly and gradually while the apparatus is in operation at a point where the pitch is agitated by the action of the pump is thoroughly mingled and incorporated with the pitch, and rapid evaporation is prevented. This automatic oil-feeding device, in connection with the draft flues and chambers in the cover G, which greatly reduce the draft or its effect on the pitch in the tank, serves to maintain the pitch in a proper and uniform condition as to fluidity for the most efiective and satisfactory operation of the apparatus.

The pump and nozzles may be driven by any suitable connection with the pump-shaft. We have shown as suitable for this purpose a pulley V, which is mounted on the upper end of the pump-shaft m and is connected by a belt passing over idlers V at the front end of the machine with a pulley W on a conveniently-located counter-shaft.

The mode of suspending the pum p and connecting it with the nozzles, pipes, or spindles by the hollow arms or brackets J greatly simplifies the construction of the apparatus and dispenses with separate pipe connections and couplings, which are liable to become loose and leaky and area source of great annoyance.

To aid in rolling the casks or kegs on and 0E from the holders P, jointed brackets or supports Y are provided, one for each holder, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. In place of the elevated reservoir U, from which oil is supplied to the pitch in the tank by gravity, the oil necessary to supply the loss by evaporation may be fed into the tank by a pump X from a reservoir U, located below the tank, as shown in Fig. 9.

In short, various modifications in the details of the apparatus may be made without materially affecting the operation of the apparatus with respect to the purpose and function of our improvements.

We claim 1. The combination with a tank and a furnace for heating the same, of a cover for said tank provided with a cask-support and with a recess or chamber beneath said support having a drain-opening into the tank, a flue connecting said chamber with the furnace and means for creating a draft through said flue whereby fumes and vapors are drawn from the cask and chamber into the furnace, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In apparatus for pitching or euameling theinterior of casks, the combination with a tank and a furnace for heating the same, of a cover for said tank provided with cask-supports, and recesses or chambers beneath said supports, having drain -openings into said tank, a flue connecting said recesses or chambers with said furnace and provided with a removable section, and means for producing a draft from said chambers through said flue into the furnace, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In apparatus for washing, pitching or euameling casks, the combination with a tank and its cover, provided with cask supports or holders, of a pump suspended in said tank from said cover by hollow arms or brackets which are formed or provided at their upper ends with vertically-disposed sleeves, and nozzles projecting through said cover into said sleeves and having openings adapted to communicate with the passages in said arms or brackets, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In apparatus for washing, pitching or enamelingcasks, the combination with a tank, its cover provided with cask supports or holders, .of a pump suspended from said cover by hollow arms or brackets which are formed at their upper ends with vertically disposed sleeves, bushings fitted in said sleeves and having internal annular recesses which communicate with the passages in said arms, and nozzle-pipes movable longitudinally in said bushings and havinglateral openings adapted to register with said recesses when the nozzles are raised, .and to open into the tank when the nozzles are lowered, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In apparatus for washing, pitching or enamelingcasks,the combination with a tank, of a longitudinally-movable nozzle projecting upwardly through the top of the tank, a pump for forcing liquid from the tank through said nozzle, means for raising and lowering said nozzle and opening and closing communication between it and the pump and a latch constructed and arranged to release said nozzle by the removal of a cask therefrom, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination with a tank, of a longitudinally-movable nozzle projecting upwardly through the top of the tank, means for raising and lowering said nozzle, a latch for holding said nozzle in its upper and lower positions, and a weighted lever connected with said latch and constructed and arranged to be shifted into and held in one position by a cask placed over said nozzle for holding the nozzle in an elevated position, and to be shifted into and held in another position by its weight for holding the nozzle in its lower position,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

- thereto, and a lever having an arm in proximity with the nozzle in position to be depressed by a cask placed thereon, a weight tending to elevate said arm and an arm connected with said latch-plate, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In pitching apparatus the combination with a pitch-tank, of an oil-reservoir having a feed-pipe extending into said tank below the pitch-level, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In pitching apparatus the combination with a pitch-tank and means of heating the same, of a sight-feed oil cup or reservoir having a delivery or feed pipe extending therefrom into said tank below the pitch-level, and a valve for regulating the flow of oil from said oil-cup, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

10. In pitching apparatus the combination with a pitch-tank provided with a cask-support and nozzle, of a pump arranged in said tank below the pitch-level for forcing pitch through said nozzle, and an oil cup or reservoir having a feed-pipe extending therefrom into said tank and opening at its delivery end in proximity with said pump which serves to mix the oil with the pitch and prevent its rapid evaporation, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. In pitching apparatus the combination with a pitch-tank and furnace for heating the same, of a top or cover for said tank provided with a cask support or holder, and beneath said holder a recess or chamber which has a drain-opening into the tank, a fine connecting said chamber with the furnace, means for producing a draft through said fiue from said chamber into the furnace, and an oil cup or reservoir having a delivery-pipe leading into said tank below the level of the pitch, for supplying the oil which escapes by evaporation through said draft-fiue, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

12. In cask-washing, pitching or enameling apparatus, the combination with a tank, of a rotary-nozzle pipe movable longitudinally and provided at its lower end with a stem, a lifting-bar through the lower end of which said stem loosely passes, and awasher interposed between the upper side of said bar and the lower end of said pipe, the adjoining faces of said bar and washer having a transverse rib and groove one fitting within the other and permitting said bar to rock freely lengthwise in raising and lowering said pipe, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we affix our signatures in presence of witnesses.

JACOB F. THEURER. MATTHIAS A. BECK.

Witnesses as to Jacob F. Theurer:

H. J. STARK, OSCAR A. MUELLER.

Witnesses as to M. A. Beck:

CHAS. L. Goss, F. J. WERGIN. 

